- Dane Sharp
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Dane Sharp is an Australian Country music singer/songwriter who signed with record label Touchwood Productions in 2007. Originally from the small NSW coastal town of Nelson Bay, Sharp is former professional soccer player who has played in England, Austria and Australia until a series of knee injuries forced him into early retirement which started a new career in music.
Touchwood Productions released Sharp's debut studio album, Nothing To Lose, in 2008 and released five radio singles in which four charted in the Top 40 on the Mildura country music charts. Dane is currently working with multi award-winning producer Duncan Wood on his second album, due out in late 2010.
Contents
Soccer Years
Leaving home at 16, Dane trialled with Queens Park Rangers and gained a short term contract as an apprentice player. He then spent 9 months with Plymouth Argyle until running into work permit problems which eventually forced a return to Australia.
After a season in Sydney contacts then organised trials in Austria which eventually led to a contract for a few seasons with SV Horn. Deciding to return to Australia after a short spell in Adelaide Dane was transferred to hometown club Newcastle. It was with Newcastle he suffered the first serious knee injury putting him out of the game for two years.
An attempted comeback with Newcastle two seasons later saw him reduced to only a squad player for a season before heading to the WA State League. Suffering another knee injury after spells with Rockingham City and Fremantle and with his Soccer career in major decline it was the end of his Soccer career.
Musical Years
Although at six Sharp held concerts for the family, often singing Two Little Boys, it would be some time whilst soccer became the focus until he would concentrate full time on singing and playing guitar.
Living in Austria playing soccer professionally Sharp shared a unit with a Swedish singer songwriter without knowing at the time it would have a big influence on his music career. It was here that he would have his first lessons on guitar and start to sing socially.
On return to Australia his career started to decline due to serious knee injuries in which he found time to concentrate on song writing and guitar with daily tutoring from WA blues guitarist Steve Dornan. This led to honing his skills playing bars, restaurants and pubs until taking out a loan in 2006 to cut an independent album.
A trip to Nashville, Tennessee to play and write the album at the same time by chance saw Sharp perform on Tennessee TV to over one million viewers. Just before releasing his first album independently record label Touchwood Productions and producer Duncan Wood signed Sharp to a three album deal. Wood reworked the bulk of the record and Sharp’s first studio album produced by Wood titled Nothing To Lose was released in Feb 2008.
Awards And Nominations
Year Organisation Award Result 2008 Qld Gold Medallion Awards Best New Talent Nominated 2008 Tamworth Country Music Awards Best New Songwriter Nominated 2009 Mildura National Country Music Awards Best New Talent Nominated 2009 Tamworth Fans Meet And Greet Awards Best New Talent Won 2010 Mildura National Country Music Awards Independent Rising Star (Male) Nominated 2010 Tamworth Fans Meet And Greet Awards Most Popular Independent Male Won Side Projects
In 2010 Sharp signed with Darren Scott’s internet based Channel C as guest host.
In 2010 through Touchwood Productions and producer Duncan Wood, Sharp began work on the documentary “The Turning Point of the Game” which is the life story and inside look at the controversial career of ex footballer Abbas Saad.
Discography
Albums
- Nothing To Lose (2008)
Singles
- Nothing To Lose
- Alone In The RSL
- Nashville Tennessee
- Blue Skies
- Another Star In The Sky
- One Way Ride
External links
Categories:- Australian singer-songwriters
- Living people
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